15 May 2009

Trains!

We're spending the next few days on trains in every subject. We spent a bit of time on the US National Parks website about railroads. There is so much to learn! Elf and Emperor expressed surprise that the scientific idea of water expanding into steam could be used to make inventions. The website shows how a train works and guides the children through a "mystery" to solve. Morse code exercises are on the website as well. I think it's geared to children about 7 and up. Our Bob Jones Heritage Studies grade 3 also has an entire unit on railroads and their effect on the West. No way we could finish that in one day, but by concentrating only on that and the website, we're almost halfway done. Map scale is also covered in this unit, so it was a nice "math" review. And the boys have learned so much in our studies today! Here, they're pictured singing the spiritual, "Get on Board" and helping Woodjie and Rose on the "gospel train." The Bob Jones Heritage Studies CD was set to "repeat" play and the children had a blast. We also saved some children's menus from Longhorn about railroads and the wild west, so the children had word searches and fun things to do. I'm hoping that the rains aren't too heavy tonight so that we can go out and ride on the train at Worlds of Fun while D stays home with the little kids.

I have an uncle who lives and breathes railroads, but the most I know is that Amtrak is a million times better than flying.

Oh, and that railroads are responsible for lobster. New Englanders hated the creatures as they messed with their fishing lines. When folks started moving away from the coast thanks to the trains, fishermen decided to send over the pests with a hefty price tag, reasoning that if the price was high everyone would assume lobsters were desirable. Worked!

Ok, keep the tornado over there. We have enough on our hands during summer over here without borrowing trouble from you. ;)

Train travel is one of the few ways I don't get travel sickness & I've done trains all over the world. I really liked Londons *Underground*. Efficient...but then anything would seem efficient by Brisbane standards.

Welcome!

I'm Christine! I live near Kansas City, Missouri, and I like Polish pottery a little bit. This blog is mostly about our homeschooling adventures, family life and my assorted oddball opinions. I'd love it if you left a comment and said hello!